Lakland Owners Group #69

[johndb]

View attachment 3497490 View attachment 3497494 View attachment 3497491 View attachment 3497492 View attachment 3497493 Speaking of Dan... here’s the story and some new pics of a bass he definitely took part in creating: Serial Number 11. Some of this I’ve told before. But, after showing her to a friend yesterday, I remembered more details and my appreciation was renewed.

Sorry for the wordiness... there’s a lot to tell!

Specs: Ash body, nitro paint, flame maple neck, birdseye fretboard, original MAGNIFICENT Bartolini p’ups and preamp, original non-branded bridge, original Hipshot tuners, original knobs.

Mods: Neck plate replaced (at some point, probably very early on) by countersunk bolts. Fender style truss rod nut replaced with typical Lakland nut. First fret side and front dot added in recent years during truss Rod repair, more details below.

Build details, per Carl and a previous owner: the early basses were done by hand, no CNC. This one has what some Lakland enthusiasts lovingly call a “McFarland neck”. This means it was hand-shaped by Hugh McFarland, the LAND in LākLAND. Dan is the LAK. Anyways, Hugh’s necks are reported to be the most comfy to come out of Chicago, and I won’t argue against it. This neck is hands down the best of the over 25 Laklands I’ve owned, and the standard I compare 4 strings too. Being hand done, it wasn’t perfect and has what looks like an ebony shim (possibly dark rosewood) in the neck pocket, and a minor neck heel shaping error there too.

The early truss rods were Fender style that they heated and bent at the end. Some weren’t heated and quenched properly, leaving the metal brittle. That was the case with Eleven, and the rod snapped a few years back. I sent it to Carl telling him that the neck had to be saved, even if it meant removing the board to install a new rod. He thought I was crazy, and said it would be better to just build a new neck. Carl isn’t very nostalgic it seems LOL. Anyways, there was another option which offered two chances to save the existing rod. Carl said he could remove the nut and drill down to the rod, drill through the rod, and anchor it. If the bit slipped at all, it was on to the 2nd chance which was to repeat the process between the nut and first fret. This is why Eleven has the extra dot marker at #1.

Carl said they figured out, thanks to a famous NY builder, that countersunk neck bolts were key to better speaking E and B strings. So, someone had Eleven modified to remove the neck plate, and also had the truss nut modernized.

As for the body and nitro paint: Carl said they were sending out some early basses to be painted with nitrocellulose, and found out later that the guy was doing it in a garage LOL. Needless to say, some weren’t perfect w/ dust and hair in them, and other flaws. Eleven was supposed to be just teal. But, the black edge of the burst was added to cover a flaw. And, that’s probably why Carl can remember all these details after almost 25 years.

I love how the early basses had front mounted jacks, a favorite of mine! And, I especially love how the paint has aged and crackled.

Here's Lakland 4-94 serial number 012. LPB with matching headstock. I bought this from Dan in person at his office/ shop, and I believe that he told me it was his personal bass at the time. It already had a ding in the finish on the forearm bevel, so that's probably why he kept it. That might have been in '96 or so.

 

[Holdsg]

piece of history right there

 

[JEDI BASS]

Here's Lakland 4-94 serial number 012. LPB with matching headstock. I bought this from Dan in person at his office/ shop, and I believe that he told me it was his personal bass at the time. It already had a ding in the finish on the forearm bevel, so that's probably why he kept it. That might have been in '96 or so.
View attachment 3521265 View attachment 3521269
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My basses younger brother!! Beautiful!!

Question about the Bart’s: does one pickup have recessed letters, and the other has protruding? If so, which have which please?

I ask cause Carl says #11 should have innie/outtie p’ups. But, both of mine our outties.

 

[johndb]

My pickups both have raised lettering, as Bill already had a mold to injection mold the MM pickup shell. He was vacuforming some shells from sheet plastic in-house for shapes that he didn't have enough production orders to justify spending money to have a mold made. I worked directly with Bill Bartolini in Livermore for a couple years and he showed me his process for this. The plugs for the pickups had the logo milled into them, hence the sunken "innie" logo.

 

[JEDI BASS]

My pickups both have raised lettering, as Bill already had a mold to injection mold the MM pickup shell. He was vacuforming some shells from sheet plastic in-house for shapes that he didn't have enough production orders to justify spending money to have a mold made. I worked directly with Bill Bartolini in Livermore for a couple years and he showed me his process for this. The plugs for the pickups had the logo milled into them, hence the sunken "innie" logo.

Thanks! Sounds like mine is all original after all!

Carl has a great memory, but he was off on that detail, it seems.

 

[johndb]

Also, I would never say that Carl is mistaken, but I know that the pickups are 100% original and correct. It was a long time ago...

 

[JEDI BASS]

Also, I would never say that Carl is mistaken, but I know that the pickups are 100% original and correct. It was a long time ago...

Carl’s memory is astonishing! I could listen to his stories all day!

 

[Killens84]

My new 44-64 is heading back to Lakland. I spoke with Leo, and he was very helpful, as always. They’re going to make sure everything is ok with the bridge, and get it screwed on properly. They’re also going to put on a new pickguard, so it doesn’t show the holes drilled for the pickup cover. I’m bummed about having to wait a bit longer to use my new bass, but I’d rather it be perfect. Leo was just as surprised as I was that the bass went out like that.

 

[Holdsg]

Qc much?

 

[RumbleBeeAL]

Maybe offer to purchase the drilled PG just incase you ever install the cover or sell the bass, certainly no need to drill through the replacement PG only to find the new placement is slightly off and make the holes in the wood body larger and not hold the screws. I’m sure they’d be happy to give it to you at no extra charge.

It’s worth asking in any event.

 

[Jim C]

I have a 44-02 Skyline (Bart J style at neck; MM style at bridge).
I love the light weight, neck shape, and playability.
When using just the neck pickup for a P tone, the Bart J pup is just a little too middy.
While I know it will never sound exactly like my P, would the 44-01 with a split coil soap bar get me closer to P territory with the neck pup solo'd?
It looks like they share the same neck and body shape.

 

[basspraiser]

I’m very disappointed right now. My new USA 44-64 came in today. I just unboxed it and started checking it out. I just noticed that they left a bridge screw missing. Not only that, but the hole they drilled in the body isn’t perfectly aligned with the mounting hole on the bridge. That means that putting a screw in it would cause the screw to go at a bad angle. This is unacceptable for a $3,400 bass. I just emailed Lakland, asking that they fix it.
View attachment 3520923 View attachment 3520924

Agreed
They will take care of it

 

[JEDI BASS]

I have a 44-02 Skyline (Bart J style at neck; MM style at bridge).
I love the light weight, neck shape, and playability.
When using just the neck pickup for a P tone, the Bart J pup is just a little too middy.
While I know it will never sound exactly like my P, would the 44-01 with a split coil soap bar get me closer to P territory with the neck pup solo'd?
It looks like they share the same neck and body shape.

Good question, and one for the 44-01 owners.

But, I have to ask... have you not been able to use the 3 band pre to get more of a P tone from your 02?

 

[Texan]

I have a 44-02 Skyline (Bart J style at neck; MM style at bridge).
I love the light weight, neck shape, and playability.
When using just the neck pickup for a P tone, the Bart J pup is just a little too middy.
While I know it will never sound exactly like my P, would the 44-01 with a split coil soap bar get me closer to P territory with the neck pup solo'd?
It looks like they share the same neck and body shape.

It will, but you will need to swap the stock preamp. The stock pre is bunk. The standard US Bart NTMB gets you there, so will anything other after market pre.

 

[Killens84]

Is the Lakland Vintage Hot P4 pickup louder than your typical Precision pickup? In the few minutes I spent playing my 44-64 the other night, I noticed it was triggering my compressor’s threshold even more than my Stingray does. And Stingrays generally are pretty hot.

 

[Eilif]

It will, but you will need to swap the stock preamp. The stock pre is bunk. The standard US Bart NTMB gets you there, so will anything other after market pre.

Honestly I'd swap the preamp first and play it a bit before swapping the pups. The mk1 import buckers are quite good and with a better preamp might get you closer than you think to a P tone.

Carl Pedigo speaks very well of the stock pups with the Lakland pre and that'd be enough for me to give them a chance.

 

[Texan]

Honestly I'd swap the preamp first and play it a bit before swapping the pups. The mk1 import buckers are quite good and with a better preamp might get you closer than you think to a P tone.

Carl Pedigo speaks very well of the stock pups with the Lakland pre and that'd be enough for me to give them a chance.

I never mentioned swapping the stock pups...I totally concur that the stock pups are killer with a better pre.

 

[inthebassclef]

Is the Lakland Vintage Hot P4 pickup louder than your typical Precision pickup? In the few minutes I spent playing my 44-64 the other night, I noticed it was triggering my compressor’s threshold even more than my Stingray does. And Stingrays generally are pretty hot.

I would say likely. Cause my 4460 pickups are super loud compared to other passive basses I have played. So I would think the p pickup is the same

 

[Jim C]

It will, but you will need to swap the stock preamp. The stock pre is bunk. The standard US Bart NTMB gets you there, so will anything other after market pre.

Thanks fellas, just want to make sure I fully understand.
My 44-02 is from approx. 2002 and came stock with a Bart pre and pups.
The pre has 4 dip switches to change the mid center freq.
I need to experiment more to see if a different freq might get me closer to a P (with just neck pup)

Sounds like my pups are good but that particular Bart pre that came with this bass can be improved?
I sent the inital post after last night's rehearsal (SVP-CL pre, big power amp, 2x 15 with Altec 421's); many years with the same band, rehearsal space, but usually use a P.

I could not get rid of this mid range honk although turning up the high mids was an improvement.
We record rehearsals with 2 PZM's to a compressor and straight to disk.
It might not have sounded like the bad a$$ punch of my 72' P but the Lakland sounded really good in the mix.

You only know wat you know.
I've always loved a P in a rock / funk mix, but maybe I will learn to like the 44-02 better (even if the onstage sound is not familiar now).

I was thinking the wider apperature of the 44-01 pup might be closer to a P and still have some Lakland magic...
Signed,
Even if it is great I still want more...

 

[Eilif]

I never mentioned swapping the stock pups...I totally concur that the stock pups are killer with a better pre.

Indeed, but it sounded from his initial post like Jim C was considering it.

 

[Eilif]

Thanks fellas, just want to make sure I fully understand.
My 44-02 is from approx. 2002 and came stock with a Bart pre and pups.
The pre has 4 dip switches to change the mid center freq.
I need to experiment more to see if a different freq might get me closer to a P (with just neck pup)

Sounds like my pups are good but that particular Bart pre that came with this bass can be improved?
I sent the inital post after last night's rehearsal (SVP-CL pre, big power amp, 2x 15 with Altec 421's); many years with the same band, rehearsal space, but usually use a P.

I could not get rid of this mid range honk although turning up the high mids was an improvement.
We record rehearsals with 2 PZM's to a compressor and straight to disk.
It might not have sounded like the bad a$$ punch of my 72' P but the Lakland sounded really good in the mix.

You only know wat you know.
I've always loved a P in a rock / funk mix, but maybe I will learn to like the 44-02 better (even if the onstage sound is not familiar now).

I was thinking the wider apperature of the 44-01 pup might be closer to a P and still have some Lakland magic...
Signed,
Even if it is great I still want more...

To clarify, I don't think the USA Bart preamp in your 44-02 needs to be replaced. Other preamps will have a different tone but the Bart isn't lacking in any way. You're probably just butting up against the limitations of trying for a P tone from a J pup.

The 44-01 on the other hand has imported ”MK1” pickups and preamp. The pickups are just fine but the preamp is the weak point.

If you're set on a 44-01 my advice would be to play a stock example and see if it's a bit in the direction you want to go. If it is then get it and if you feel the need swap the preamp.

However, consider this...
If you've already got a 44-02 why not just buy a P Bass? I've got a Carlo that is basically a custom shop 44-94. It's super flexible but when I want a P Bass tone I reach for my much-modded MIM P Bass. The Carlo is fantastic as is your 44-02 but only a P sounds like a P.